Nightfall
by mzhang
Summary: No summary. Rated PG13 for language. Review.
1. Chapter 1

**Nightfall**

_(edited as of 03.07.2005)_

Finally! I got enough time to write fanfiction again! Yes! …and I think this is the final edit for 'Nightfall.' Most importantly, it has a few plot changes, so I would suggest you to reread this. Again.

'_thoughts'_

Disclaimer: All Detective Conan characters belong to Gosho Aoyama. If this story is anything better than a piece of crap, give him the credit. Otherwise, blame me.

Chapter One

Sigh…_ 'When will he be back? I mean, he's been gone for almost a year now… Can't he stay long enough for me to tell him how I feel?'_ Mouri Ran had that look in her eyes again. The look that was reserved for him and him alone. For Shinichi. It was always for Shinichi… _'You mystery loving idiot! What have you gotten yourself into this time? Do you even care that I'm waiting for you? You don't care, do you?'_ Ran sighed again, contradicting herself. _'Of course he cares about you… After all, if he didn't, why does he even bother to call you? Why would he show up briefly those times? He does know that you're worried about him. Hell, you told him yourself that you're worried about him…'_ She sighed again, looking out of the window in her room with tears dripping down her face. Too caught up in her thoughts, she didn't realize that a certain diminutive figure had entered the room through the open door…

He watched her with a certain amount of wistfulness in his eyes. How he wished he just kept his nose out of sneaking a peak at the deal between the damned Organization and that business man. How he loathed his current form. Then again, who **would** like to be shrunken from a healthy teen into a 7 year old after been force-fed poison? But… There was nothing that he could do now, except wait for Haibara to finish the stable antidote. He just wished he had the chance to tell Ran how he felt before that day, especially now that he knew she felt the same way. God, where was his courage when he most needed it? Why can't he just come out and tell her that he was Shinichi? _'Because if the bastards in the Organization found out, she'll be in danger too… Damn it Kudo, she's in danger right now anyways. You know that if they found you out, they'll stop at nothing to kill your relatives, friends, acquaintances, and even your enemies so that they won't be found out. What would you do if they did, huh? Would you rather have Ran be killed without knowing anything important, or let her have a chance of living because she knows that she'll be a target and be ready?'_ He saw Ran's face. It was painful to watch the emotions that flowed through her face. It was times like these when it doesn't pay to be a good detective. He walked into her line of sight, desperate to help her in any way he can…

She looked down at the child before her, and saw the pain in his eyes. Eyes that were so much like another's… She felt ashamed now, that she had let her emotions take control of her again. She knew from experience that the boy before her couldn't bear his Ran-neechan to be in any kind of pain… Ran scolded herself for letting Conan-kun to see her in distress. '_Nice going. Not only can't you get the courage to tell Shinichi how you feel, you've let Conan-kun feel guilty because you're crying. Great job!'_

"Hello, Conan-kun," she said, wiping her eyes.

"Ran-neechan, what are you thinking about?" Conan asked. His voice was quivering.

'_Why! Why does it have to be this way! Why can't I get him out of my mind! Why must he sound so much like… Like that baka!'_

"Oh, nothing much, Conan-kun," was Ran's answer. She knew that Conan didn't believe her. After all, he does look up to Shinichi, and it wouldn't be much of a surprise if Conan learned some tricks of the trade from him.

"Really, Ran-neechan? You were crying…" It was too easy to see that she was lying. Her tone told it all. Guilt. That feeling eating at you from the inside, forcing you into the well of despair, never letting you rest until another pulls you out of that hellhole. He silently cursed the Black Organization for making him like this. He cursed Haibara for not having the cure for that goddamned poison she created. For Hattori acting like this was a joke. But most of all, he cursed himself for letting Ran feel like this. _'Just say it, Kudo! How hard can it be!'_ He couldn't lie to himself. _'Very hard…'_ He sighed, deciding not to tell her. _'At least, not tonight…'_

"Go to sleep Conan-kun. You must be tired." She glanced at the clock. "It's 10 o'clock."

Conan snorted quietly. '_10 o'clock… Oh, I'm tired… I must be tired because I just took a bath… Right. But then again, this could be the opportunity that I was looking for. Now I can call Ran without her wondering where 'Conan' is…'_

"Okay, Ran-neechan," he chirped, turning to go.

Ran watched his retreating back, wondering for the umpteenth time that evening if he knew something about Shinichi's disappearance. Conan was just so…mature. He didn't go wild about some silly show like the Masked Yaiba. He had a sense of self-control that no one can ever compare to. Except for Ai-chan, of course. The thing that bugged her the most was how **smart** he was. It didn't matter that he never brought home homework. A lot of kids do that… More importantly, he could tell how people are feeling. Not just vaguely, no, but he knew exactly if they're sad or angry or happy. It was…creepy. She couldn't help but wonder what he was hiding. The only thing that is prevalent through that air of innocence that was Conan. He was hiding something. His eyes were never innocent, but rather haunted with…fear. He never told her anything specific about where Shinichi was, never. It was always somewhere on a case… It wasn't a far cry from there to suspect that Conan **was** Shinichi. His behaviors, likes and dislikes, talent, they were all Shinichi. The way that he acted when she was sad, you'd think that he was much older than his apparent age. He… No. Not now. She needn't think about that now. It was impossible for someone to grow younger, she knew that long ago. And… And she had even seen both of them in the same room…

'_Kudo, I hate you. You just had to keep the secret, didn't you? Just had to keep her sad…'_ Conan slipped out the window noiselessly with the ease that comes with experience. He slid down the drain pipe and out onto the street, his shorts flapping in the wind. He made his way to a familiar phone booth. The phone booth that he had used so many times before for this task… He set his bowtie to the appropriate place and dialed the number…

'_Hey! What's Conan doing outside?'_ Ran's thoughts returned to the present as she saw a young figure out on the streets. '_He said he was going to bed… And it's **freezing** out.'_ She was about to open the windows and call for him, but noticed that he was heading towards a phone booth… He stood outside of it for a while, fiddling with something, and then headed inside…

Conan nervously adjusted the bowtie on his neck and checked again that it was in the right setting. _'Che. You have to use the voice changer to imitate your own voice.'_

The phone ringed inside the Mouri Detective Agency. Ran hurried to pick it up, the inside of her head pushed back a nagging thought. "Hello? Mouri Detect-"

"Hey Ran, it's me." The voice was worn and husky. With a tinge of unease and…

Her breath paused. Relief coursed through her, that he was still alive. That he was still okay. "Sh-Shinichi?"

"Yeah." He winced at her voice. He could hear millions of emotions in there. Happiness, sadness, anger…

"Baka! When are you going to come back?" she cried.

"I don't know Ran. I just don't know…"

"It's still that case, isn't it? You won't even tell me what that case is about!"

"Look Ran, I-"

"Come home right now, got it? Otherwise…" Her demanding voice of reason was cut out by her desire to have him back.

"I can't Ran, I just can't. Don't you know how fast I would come and see you if I could?" He sounded so distressed…

'_Yeah, I do know…'_ She privately recalled those rare times when he had a break. _'What break? Every time he gets off that 'case,' another one happens…'_ Ran had to smile when she thought back to the times that he had to deal with something when he was about to tell her something…

"Where are you, Shinichi?"

"Um…" He started to sweat when she asked him that. '_Figures.'_ "I… Uh… I have to go! Take care!" Conan hung up the phone and let out a breath. _'That was close! Better watch out next time and make up a better excuse…'_

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Ran stared at the phone. _'Baka! He won't even tell me where he is! But…come to think of it, he **never** told me what he's up to since he left… Why!'_ Ran removed her fist from the gaping hole that she had just created. _'…! Dad's going to have my head for this! Then again, he wouldn't dare…'_ Then that nagging thought began to push back into the front of her mind…

Conan slowly made his way back upstairs and into his room, making sure that he didn't make a sound. However, as he was just going into bed, he noticed that someone was standing up from behind it. His heart sank when he saw who stood behind it. It was Ran. Her eyes were tearful, full of grief and sorrow. What she said next drove home for him.

"Shinichi…"

To be continued

Yay! I'm done with my first chapter! Can you tell that it's my first fic? I know that it needs a lot of work, and I am happy to receive any advice possible. This includes flames… Please review!

**Chinese-freak** _10.9.2004_

PS: I know that I sound energetic and all, but I'm lazy and I almost never go outside to play. I only venture out into the world for mail, exercise, and to go to the book store. One more thing. My stories always are cliffhangers because this will make you want to read on. Sounds like the movies, doesn't it?


	2. Chapter 2

**Nightfall**

I know that I have a tendency to swear a lot… And I have a rating that is the same as my age… But who cares? I hope this chapter is a lot better than the last… I would also like to thank KagomeChic for proofreading this. You were a lot of help!

Disclaimer: You think that I'm Gosho Aoyama? Moron…

Chapter Two

He couldn't breath. All his energy was literally devoted on him controlling that damned mask he has to wear now. Two words were repeating itself in his head right now. _'I'm screwed.'_

She could see him trying to keep his cool. And he was doing a great job. Nothing except surprise surfaced on his face. And **that** made it an open and shut case. If he was a real child, he would have shown something else. Amazement. Horror. Maybe even shock. But to control that face like that, **that** wasn't normal. So 'Conan' wasn't exactly normal. She could testify to that. But this- this was beyond the level of weirdness that had ever being shown by this so called 'youth.'

The silence held. It seemed to create a barrier between the real world, the world that was reasonable, and their world. It was a painful silence.

His mouth opened and closed, like a fish. Still, nothing was said.

That barrier was broken when she repeated, "Shinichi…"

He could do nothing now. He saw her eyes. They were full of emotions… Not the usual suspicion, no. It was something else… It was full of conviction…

But he had to try to convince her. He opened his mouth and uttered, "Um… Ra-Ran-neechan… I'm not-"

"I know that you're him, Conan. Don't try to deny it!"

"But…but…"

At this, she just put her hands to her hips in contempt. "Oh really? Tell me Conan, why is it that you just walked in here from the front door? Huh? Could it be that you just wanted to talk to Dr. Agasa while Shinichi just so conveniently called?"

"Well, I was going to…to…" He couldn't do it. It was too unexpected. No excuse came to mind… He was screwed. Almost… His hands strayed, almost casually, towards his watch…

"Don't even think about it Shinichi."

'_Damn! She knows about my tranquilizer darts!'_ His eyes were wide open, despair finally breaking through that perfectly kept mask of his. The final string had broke. '_What can I do now? She finally realized me for what I really am… There's no way for me to go on hiding like this! There's no point to doing so! But then… She'll be in dan- God, stop with that excuse, will you? Screw you, Kudo! She saw right through you… It would be hopeless to deny anything now…'_

"Ran-neechan… I… We… We need to talk, Ran." His voice had changed. No longer was it cheerful and young. It became a voice so adult-like that it was almost foreign. Except…

She was taken aback. Since when was Shinichi this…direct? "What?"

He sighed. "We need to talk. I… I just can't hide this from you anymore, Ran… It would be pointless to try and do that anyways…" He looked straight into her eyes, and she realized once again how mature they were. The eyes… never a dopey look like with regular kids, but with a passion that she couldn't understand… Never. Until now…

"Who are you, really?" She already knew, of course. She just needed that conformation to prove that her theories were really true…

"I'm… I'm who you think I am, Ran…"

She mentally screamed at the boy in front of her. What kind of answer is that? Who would give that answer like that? Who?

Some of that emotion must have shown through, because he immediately began to sweat…

"Conan…"

He nervously backed away, stuttering as he spoke, though his eyes were still burning with the same look… "I'm… God! I'm Shinichi…"

She stopped in her tracks. She always suspected something about that child… But to have those wild questions answered! It… "Wh- What did you say?" she asked, unable to believe those simple words.

"Damn it! I'm Shinichi, alright?" He was breathing heavily now, unable to stop the torrent of emotions that coursed through him as he admitted defeat. After all, who can win a war with love?

She didn't know what to say, what to think, really… So many questions were still in her mind, screaming to be heard, to be answered… She chose the most simple and direct one presented to her… "How?"

And that word was an arrow through his heart… For what can he say? It was madness, to try to come up with something to say and not put her into danger… '_Those bastards! I hate them! Damn them!'_

"Ran… I… I can't tell you… All I can say is that- that I'm Shinichi. I can't tell you because… Because you'll die if you knew," he finished bluntly.

"**What?**"

"Ran… I'm begging you… Please don't tell anyone about me… It would put you into even more danger than you are already in. And it would mean a certain death for me…"

"But… why are you like this? You… I…" She was struck dumb again, frozen in place.

"I… I can only say that I'm Shinichi, Ran." He was looking down as he spoke. He looked up when he saw tears dropping to the floor. Ran was sobbing again. She held her hands over her eyes, as if trying to hide something from him. "Ran?" he ventured quietly, trying not to make her feel any worse than she already was…

"Shinichi…" Her voice surprised him. It wasn't that of anxiety. Rather, it was…embarrassment… With dread, He deduced what she was about to say. It wasn't the time for that. That time would be for later, when he was back to himself. "I-I…" She was blushing a fiery shade of red now. "I…lo-"

"Ran… Now isn't the time…" He sighed, a weary form before her, no longer the cheery boy that she thought she knew.

'_What? Does he know what- Oh… I told him… Oh no!'_ She remembered when she told him that… That she… That she loved him… _'He knows!'_

To be continued

Me again. Look, I know that up 'till this point, the plot's kinda cliché. I'll try to make this remotely interesting, but you know that it will probably end as another miserable attempt to be 'different.' So click on the down arrow and select 'submit review.' It's so easy. That is, unless you're extremely lazy. In that case, I'll humor you and laugh in your general direction.

I would also like to thank the following Detective Conan maniacs:

'KagomeChic,'

'conan is hiding something,'

'LostArtOfRock,'

'Reo,' and

'Kuroya'

for their reviews. Thanks!

**Chinese-freak** _10.20.2004_


	3. Chapter 3

**Nightfall**

This is it folks! The last chapter of my first story. Don't worry, though. I have a sequel that I'm going to post soon. Anyways, enjoy! …and I would like to thank KagomeChic for… You know… The beta read…

Disclaimer: If you still don't get it, I don't own Detective Conan. All characters are the work of the genius Gosho Aoyama. Duh…

Chapter Three

'_Oh, crap. He knows… After all that time trying to conceal that, it still comes out!'_ She froze when the realization hit her. '_Shinichi knows that… that I love him…'_ Her face turned a hundred shades of red.

He saw her stiffen when he finished that statement. …and got ready to run. Ran wasn't exactly known for her coping too well with unexpected events… Except for murders… He suspected that she was about to blow. And he backed away again, towards the door out of his room… Besides, who knows if that blush was from embarrassment or anger?

"**Shinichi!**" It was different this time. No embarrassment or relief. Okay, maybe embarrassment, but definitely not relief. It was embarrassment and anger. Especially anger.

'_Run!'_ He pelted out of the gateway to hell and flew down the steps of the agency. He ran towards the place that he knew was safe. Towards Dr. Agasa's house. Unfortunately, Ran could run really fast. Her anger didn't really help either…

The rare passerby on the deserted streets turned around and stared at a pair of silhouettes speeding past them. They all shook their heads and slowly resumed what they were doing. After the cursing stopped reaching their ears.

He was in trouble. There were times that being a kid was helpful. Not now. Gasping and wheezing, he stumbled down the home stretch. Just as his house appeared in view, Ran came out of nowhere and grabbed him by his shirt.

"Stand still!" Her hand was unforgiving, twisting the collar so tight that he couldn't breath.

"Ack! …Need…air…" he gasped as he continued in vain to escape her grasp.

"Not until you explain some things to me, Shinichi!"

'_Damn it… first my identity, now my pride. How many other ways can this day go wrong?' _All the same, he felt a glow inside of him. It was…relief. Sweet, glorious relief at last. No more! No more does he have to hide it! No more having to lie to the one he care about… Love…

She saw him suddenly going slack, and loosened her grip, fearing that he had choked. She turned him around, surprised once again that he wasn't struggling…

"So… What do you want to know?"

They were in his house. Shinichi's house, thinking it might not be a good idea to talk to each other about…well, about whom he really was, in public…

"So what do you know?"

"I… Um… I know that you love me… And-" A sweating fish was in the seat across from Ran.

"Stop." Her hands were already on her hips, glaring at him. "You were taking advantage of me, weren't you? Acting like you were innocent when we 'first' met. Asking whether I had…any feelings for you…"

He sighed. "Well… Yes, Ran, I did. I'm really sorry." He looked down in apparent shame. Inside, however… _'Yep! I did! And I figured it out at last the first time I met you as Conan.'_

Unfortunately for our young detective, Ran saw through that lie as soon as the words left his mouth. "Yeah, right. 'I'm so sorry Ran!'" She mocked him, taking pleasure at his blush. Then another thought came to mind, one that just about made her faint…

He saw the glassy look, and his mind stopped. _'Oh… Shit!'_

"**Shinichi!**" Her hands were in fists again. Her instincts started to take over her mind, overriding any rational though. Fortunately, this took place, for otherwise… Well put it this way. Our young detective would have found himself in orbit. Around the nearest star. With a dent in his stomach. And an asteroid behind him. _'He saw me naked!'_

'_Oh God, please have mercy upon my soul…'_

An hour later, both sweating and tired, they went into a certain room. They both looked at the surroundings, taking in the subtle hints of who was its former inhabitant. The soccer ball. A childish drawing of Sherlock Holmes. Pictures of mom and dad. His room. She wandered around the room, going through his stuff like she used to, in a time long ago. He remained at the doorway, shuffling his feet. Both still had so many secrets in their hearts, remaining hidden. But both remained silent, treasuring this moment that had become so rare since that fateful night. They made their way to the window, and looked out. The moon was shining, a guide for the lost, a beacon for the hopeless. And they stayed that way, waiting for the night pass; for every night, there was the day. The moon is merely a respite for the weary. The day brought danger, but also brought true peace.

And they waited for light at the end of the tunnel…

The End

Yay! I'm done with my first ever fanfic! Wohoo!

I would like to thank:

'Troy Thomas,'

'Sherlock-fan 19,'

'MoonShadowWich,'

'KagomeChic,'

'magicbulletgirl,'

'Lyn Jarewo Wors,'

'Kuroya,'

'Scott-is-a-loser,' and

'Natsuko'

for their new reviews.

Did you notice? I added another chapter to this story! Well, not a story, just a teaser for the next story. It's called "Tomorrow," and will probably be put up sometime in February. I know, I know, I said above that it's going to be put up in November, but, as most of you already know, I was grounded. Well, I'm not anymore, and am putting the last touches to the story. So, click that little arrow button and go read the teaser already! And enjoy!

**Chinese-freak** _01.09.2005_

PS: Thanks, Troy, for your comments! See, I actually don't really suck at summaries; I just wanted to write something different to catch a reader's eye. But thanks! I appreciate it!


	4. Teaser

**Nightfall**

Hey again! This page is just a summary for my next story, "Tomorrow." Please review comments, suggestions, questions, flames, and basically any things you would have to say to me. I will be glad to read them! I have the first chapter done already, but I'm just waiting for KagomeChic to proofread it. So please be patient, and wait a while longer… I know, I'm a really bad author for doing this, but…

Anyways, the basic plot line is that, after Ran finds out about Shinichi, the agency finds a lead about the Black Organization. Heiji and Kid **might** help out, and **maybe** the organization would be taken down. You know I'm not going to tell you exactly what happened. Please have a little patience and wait for the story. Until then, chow!

The more comprehensive teaser is below.

**Tomorrow**

Chapter One

'_Shinichi!'_ She bolted out of bed, gasping for breath. She had a most peculiar dream last night. Well, maybe not that peculiar… She'd wished for her suspicions to be proven correct… Where Conan would finally admit, without any distractions, that he was really Shinichi… Her heart sank as she looked around the room. It was plain and ordinary, like her room… Nope, didn't go anywhere last night… Except…

'_Oh man, why did I ever tell her? You idiot! Now the Black Organization will come and destroy her, too! Go to hell, Kudo!'_ He was awake, lying in his own bed, silently debating with himself about the consequences of last night's confessions. He would have liked to kick the soccer ball, but… Well, Ran was sleeping in the next room… And it might not be such a good idea to wake her in this hour of morning… Good thing it was Saturday. Now they got the weekend to discuss last night. _'Great. Just what I always wanted… Getting pounded to a pulp by Ran…'_

She noiselessly made her way through the hall, heart hammering in her chest. Could it be? Was he really…Shinichi? Can last night be real? She dared not to hope. There was just too much to take in. What were the chances that her suspicions were confirmed? And yet… She didn't have the window in that corner of her room! She paused at the next door. "Shinich?"

And that's a wrap, folks! Hope you'll stick around until the full version comes out!


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